Hello, Neighbours
A corporate cannabis superstore is set to open in Kensington Market, almost directly across the street from the venerable @hotboxcafe. Julian Fantino sits as chairman of a company involved in this transaction. We should all be outraged. Here's why.
Who is @JulianFantino? Here's an overview of his CV:
Toronto police officer ('69)
@lpsmediaoffice chief ('91-'98)
@YRP chief ('98-'00)
@TorontoPolice chief ('00-'05)
@OPP commissioner ('06-'10)
@CPC_HQ politician ('10-'15)
Aleafia Health chairman ('17-now)
An illustrious career, no doubt. ...Assuming one can overlook his legacy of scandals and corruption, that is.
CONTEXT: Ontario has private dispensaries, but a limited number of cannabis retail licenses. ~67 licenses were distributed by lottery. The @Ont_AGCO website currently shows an active application for a new cannabis store called "One Plant Kensington Market" at 241 Augusta Ave.
Jason Krulicki (the lottery winner) seems to be partnering up with One Plant to manage his store. Together, they stand to make biiiiiiiig money. (By the way, I have a lot of thoughts about the policy decision to allocate licenses by lottery in the first place).
One Plant plans to become a national cannabis chain. It is a joint venture between Aleafia Health (which operates medical clinic network and owns major cannabis cultivation + processing facilities) and the Serruya Family (think Yogen Früz and Second Cup)
As we know, Julian Fantino is at the helm of Aleafia Health. He provides leadership to the firm's officers and executives. His official profile describes him as a "leading expert on drug enforcement and federal regulatory policy."
Hang on. Let's unpack that.
As Toronto Police Chief, Fantino enforced prohibition with unique zeal. He is responsible for arresting/jailing thousands for non-violent cannabis offences. Data shows Black + Indigenous people were disproportionately targeted.
Make no mistake. This arbitrary enforcement ruined lives. Worse yet, Black + Indigenous people were treated much more harshly.
Not-so-fun fact: From 1998-2005, @TorontoPolice paid over $30.6 MILLION settling lawsuits.
By the way, Fantino is the same guy who once (literally) compared cannabis to death. In 2004, he told @TheTorontoSun that legalization would not cut down on crime, adding: "I guess we can legalize murder too and then we won't have a murder case. We can't go that way."
While Veteran Affairs minister, Fantino ran a smear campaign against @JustinTrudeau claiming: “It is ironic that the Liberal Party’s singular policy priority is to fully legalize recreational marijuana, thereby making smoking marijuana a normal everyday activity for Canadians.”
Fantino’s perspective supposedly changed after learning benefits of treating veterans’ PTSD & pain with cannabis. His words: “First and foremost, we are not in the marijuana business... We are in the health delivery system and that’s our focus.
Change of heart
A look at Julian Fantino’s past public statements on marijuana:
“The evidence clearly indicates that organized crime is heavily involved in grow operations and the distribution of marijuana… I am also concerned about the apparent lack of scientific of medical certainty on the impact of marijuana use on humans and their activities.” - Fantino’s statement posted on the Sootoday.com, May 28, 2003
“My issue is not a morality issue… To be frank about it, by making it easier to smoke pot we’re also increasing the profits and the activities of organized crime who are very much involved in the grow operations.” - Fantino to the Toronto Star, Dec. 24, 2003
“Legalization is an irresponsible policy that only puts dangerous drugs on the streets and in our communities, and sends the wrong message to children that recreational drug use is okay.” - Fantino in a flyer distributed to Vaughan households by his MP office, July 30, 2014
“Today, Justin (Trudeau) admitted that his top and urgent justice priority is to change the law to allow the sale of marijuana in corner stores, putting our children at risk. Justin’s singular justice policy will make smoking marijuana a normal, everyday activity for Canadians and he wants to make marijuana available in storefront dispensaries and cornerstores just like alcohol and cigarettes. This is simply wrong, and puts the health and safety of our children and communities at risk.” - Fantino’s Favebook page, Sept. 30, 2015
“This is not like smoking cigarettes. This is also the type of drug that is mind-altering and does have an impact on cognitive ability.” - Julian Fantino to Global News, Oct. 15, 2015
“I am completely opposed to the legalization of marijuana.” - Julian Fantino’s Twitter account, Oct. 16, 2015
- The Toronto Star | November 14, 2017
And hey. As a defence lawyer, I genuinely believe that people
Shouldn’t be defined by their bad choices, and
Have virtually infinite capacity to evolve into better versions of themselves.
If Fantino sees the error in his ways, good for him! I’m all for dismantling stigma. But I have a problem with a man who recklessly and callously upheld cannabis prohibition being among the first to profit from recreational weed. Seems wildly hypocritical, considering the ongoing consequences suffered by those charged/convicted in the War on Drugs.
Meanwhile, Sa’d said former cops and politicans who held up prohibition are now jumping into legal weed.
“I think it’s really hypocritical that people like [former Toronto police chief] Julian Fantino, who compared cannabis to death, they’re now making money hand over fist. That’s gross.”
- VICE News | October 17, 2019
And I have a problem with this particular ex-cop setting up shop across the street from @abiroach, who spend decades advocating for cannabis yet remains excluded from the legal retail market. It’s insulting and offensive.
I would perhaps be more forgiving if Fantino was vocal about the urgent need for @CannabisAmnesty. He should be screaming apologies from rooftops. He should atone for the harm he caused by advocating for a fair and equitable cannabis economy. Instead, crickets.
Aside from his disdain for cannabis, Fantino:
oversaw bathhouse raids
doxxed accused (resulting in at least one suicide)
ignored misconduct (brutality, bribery, etc.)
prematurely halted special investigation into TPS narcotics squad ordered illegal wiretapping
It makes my skin crawl that Fantino is profiting big time from an industry he feverently tried to crush. And he’s not the only one! Meanwhile, many activists and entrepreneurs who fought for legalization are left out to dry.
It’s. Just. Not. Fair.
Remember, One Plant didn’t win the lottery! They are making backroom deals to secure dispensaries.
Pay to play ad infinitum.
Overall, Ontario's lottery system to allocate cannabis retail licenses has been a colossal failure. The province FINALLY** agreed to scrap the arbitrary process to open up the retail system.
**@fordnation INITIALLY promised a private retail cannabis market as part of his election platform, with no cap on the number of dispensaries.
So, let's be cautiously optimistic about celebrating the end of the lottery system. More importantly, let’s be vigilant about ensuring the cannabis industry is not co-opted by ghouls.